Is Angle going heel again?Could Eddie be going heel?Does Rey have a bagful of masks that he just carries around with him?Will Bob Holly ever get over? (actually, the answer here is no)

These questions and more will be answered on the next Soap...er, Smackdown.

Rob asks Dave and Ric if they want to go backstage to play Hungry Hungry Hippos and Flair and Batista immediately bail. Flair wants to be Green. Man, EVERYBODY wants to be green. Except the girl in the commercials. She wanted to be pink. That either means that the ad agency was sexist or that she was communist. Of course Hungry Hungry Hippos is a rather capitalist game isnít it? No self respecting communist would play Hungry Hungry Hippos. Except Stalin. He LOVED Hungry Hungry Hippos. God, Iíve got no clue what the hell Iím rambling about anymore.-- Matt "Excalibur05" Hocking, Raw Satire writer extraordinaire

You know, I just can't call it the "WWE." I just can't. My body's rejecting it like a bad liver transplant.-- Bill Simmons, espn.com/page2

I'm thinking what they're doing is have Angle play as a friend to Eddie for a while. Then at the Rumble, Chavo will turn on Eddie. Sets up Eddie vs Chavo at No Way Out. Then Angle turns on Eddie and sides with Chavo. I don't know where they'll get the motive for that, but ah, who cares. Angle vs Eddie at Wrestlemania.

I really hope Lesnar and Heyman emphasize this Benoit-will-never-get-a-title-shot-ever-again business down our throats, so this can be a good setup for a Benoit win. However, I like what they're doing with Angle, Guerrero and Cena being very into winning the Rumble, because then it adds to the suspense. With a lot of Rumbles in the past, everyone pretty much knows who is going to win and who is main eventing Wrestlemania, so the writers focus on that one guy while one or two others pretend to care about winning. This year it seems intense. Smackdown has done a good job with the Rumble already in the first week of January. Hell, they're already hyping Gunn for it. RAW better start to it, especially considering their storylines are much more reckless.

Yes, you two can hear the Dudley Boyz sing. Only on the next WWE album!

I don't see Angle getting too involved with the Eddie/Chavo feud. His motives seemed to be getting Eddie out of the Rumble and giving him one less serious contender to worry about. Let Eddie give his spot up to one of the FBI, or to Shannon "Keeps Coming Back For" Moore.

What was up with the finish to the Big Show/Holly match tonight? Holly is supposed to be the face in his lame feud with Lesnar, but he costs the match by deliberately using a low blow in front of the ref. Then he punks out the ref and proceeds to bludgeon Big Show with a chair. Not very face like behavior to me.

Also, The Big Show continues his reign as the worst United States champion of all time. He's held the title for 2 and a half months and yet to defend it. I'm not saying he has to bust his ass and defend it every week or wrestle twice a night like Eddy did, but if they are going to have the title by god do something with it! I say give the title to a fresh face he could elevate it quite well, someone like Cena, Benoit or even Mysterio and Angle. It's just getting tiresome seeing Show walk around with the belt and no one ever challenges him for it, especially when he's proven vulnerable before to other competitors on Smackdown.

That match did nothing for Holly. He got tossed around like a ragdoll, stayed alive only through Rey's distraction, then laid Show out with the chair. The point they were trying to make was obvious: "Holly's dangerous! He's not playing games -- he's out to hurt these people!" The point they SHOULD have been trying to make: "Holly's dangerous, but look at him also get it done in the ring!" They've done nothing to make fans have any reason to expect him to actually win his match with Brock.

Even if he DOES take the title (which I'm beginning to suspect they will if Benoit is supposed to be built up as the face challenger for the title, and yet Brock is supposed to face Goldberg at Mania -- they'll need someone to serve as transitional champ to get it onto another heel for the chase) -- no one will really give him much cred to keep it.

I'm giving some thoughts on the segments, if you don't feel like reading it feel free to scroll past it. Believe me I don't mind and I won't hold it against you.

-Mysterio vs. Tajiri- Best match I've seen all year!(ha someone has to say it). Did anyone else get distracted with Akio and Sakota wearing SD referee clothing with the blue shirts and pants. I like Sakota block and pull of Rey's 619. Running Ligerbomb from Tajiri on Rey looked vicious. Once again Tajiri looks amazing but loses the belt to Rey who looked very good as well. Don't know where this leaves Tajiri's group, they really haven't done much with them but they still interest me. Hope they don't become just another FBI. But if I'm a better person I wouldn't doubt it... BigShow comes out and promotes the latest of lame WWE merchandise that no one will buy, full of "clever" innuendo sayings in front and back Wow! Rey throws it to the crowd (Hey don't throw your trash out here) BigShow attacks but Bob Holly dropkicks BigShow and raises Rey's had to give Rey the rub? (umm right)

-Bradshaw vs. Rhyno- Suckitude personified! Cole says "Lets' wait for the first high impact move" and clothesline from Bradshaw and I guess there's you impact move for the pin!

-Benoit/Cena vs. Stamboli/Pulumbo/Nunzio- Cena raps about Namath, at least he's current. Benoit comes out and he lays down some venomous lyrics. Why isn't he in the WWE Singing CD!... Odd set up for the match with Cena taking beatings from the FBI and Benoit getting the hot tag and totally cleaning house with Germans. Went for the Sharpshooter but got broken up finished with the ol' trusty crossface. I really like the move FBI did on Benoit where the go for a double hiptoss HOLD and then slams him down

-Angle interview- What is the point of saying there's surprise throughout the first hour, when you ruin it saying "Up next Kurt Angle". Isn't that like wrapping a present and when you loved one picks it up on Christmas Eve you say "It's a bracelet!" before they even start opening it... I really don't want to sound like a jerk, and I haven't really made a statement about this. Enough with the military stuff, do it on confidential. It's past repetitive to annoying. Nothing against the troops but Kurt's one of my favorite characters but him using a comeback speech which I look forward to as a public service announcement for the U.S Army is just not entertaining.

-BigShow vs. Bob Holly- Speaking of not entertaining LoL. BigShow just plowing around on Holly. Okay I get it BigShow is an enforcer trying to hurt Holly that's why BigShow is an awful U.S champ. U.S champs should be champions not enforcers who go out just to hurt people, but I've stated why I think BigShow does nothing for the U.S title on many occasions... Rey distracts BigShow and Holly hits Show in the pills and smacks him with a chair. Wasn't this the main event? Is this a 90-minute show this week.

-Worlds Greatest TagTeam vs. Los Guerreros- well nice double headscissors from Eddie. An average match with these guys for the 6-minutes they got... Hehe I did like Eddie trying to start a Chavo chant, that was cute. But Chavo was at his breaking point already and slapped Uncle Eddie. Eddie looked mad but Kurt Angle of all people came in and calmed Eddie down. Nice curve with Kurt putting the blame on Eddie(?!), that was very interesting. What was with the finish, they went to Cole and Tazz talking about Kurt and Eddie then they go to a cheap looking New Years type graphic and with Cole voicing over "Good bye everyone see you next week" Odd

-OtherStuff- It's the U.N culture club backstage with Rey who celebrates with Funaki, Jordan, Bradshaw and Eddie... Heyman was all over the backstage doing skits with BigShow, Cena and Benoit. Nice way of pushing Benoit as the "everyday" man. Benoit living the American dream, even though he's Canadian. But close enough... Another comeback for Billy Gunn. Will his welcome back Pop last longer then one day this, tune in to find out... Tazz shows off Eddie on Lowrider magazine, I actually saw it at my magazine shop, sorry Eddie didn't buy it. A low-rider parade?... Rey singing for the WWE CD. Ewww But I'm still supporting this idea, I think?

-Sign of the Night: "Fat in the Hat" -3Stars of the Night: 1)Tajiri. 2)Mysterio. 3)Eddie.

The entire set up of the show seemed strange especially the last half hour with the flipping of Holly/Show and Guerreros/WGTT. The first half hour was fantastic with Rey/Tajiri. The middle hour was pretty uneventful. Even Kurt cut a lame promo. Last half hour picked up again and putting a great little twist in the Guerreros storyline with Kurt blaming Eddie... BTW Bob Holly is the most non-credible challenger I've seen in a long time, the opening montage of him kicking ass just looked so forced and fake and unrealistic.

Originally posted by PhantomEven if he [Holly] DOES take the title (which I'm beginning to suspect they will if Benoit is supposed to be built up as the face challenger for the title, and yet Brock is supposed to face Goldberg at Mania -- they'll need someone to serve as transitional champ to get it onto another heel for the chase) -- no one will really give him much cred to keep it.

No chance. That would the worst possible thing they could do right now. Brock is cruising along just fine as the big, bad heel champ, and taking the title off him in favor of Sparky Plugg would be utterly ridiculous, even if it was only to transistion it to Benoit. If that's the case, just do Benoit/Brock, and cut out the middleman, which would be worlds better for each guy.

Anyway, as for SD, a pretty good show. Misterio/Tajiri was awesome, and Benoit/Cena vs. FBI was a fun little match. Big Show was funny, and they did a good job of laying out Benoit's RR storyline, and they finally pulled the trigger on the Eddie/Chavo feud. I found the show to be much more enjoyable than Raw, which was basically the ME and nothing else.

What happened to the Bashams vs. Rikishi/S2H "match"? And a video promo for Billy Gunn? WTF?

That guy with the "Fat in the Hat" sign ruled...I agreed with his "More Gore in 2004" sign also, Rhyno gets no love

Some other thoughts:

*Am I the only one that is curious what they will do with Hardcore at RR when they can't pump in the canned heat? Man, I can't wait for that one (I don't mind him but HE is getting a shot at the title?!?!?! Thats like Billy Gunn getting one)

*Ooooo "The piece of dung" Billy Gunn is back, taking away an RR spot from someone good like O'Haire

*Good....giving us a good cruiser match, Bad....having a bah gawd hoss come out and take credibility from the cruisers (esp. Rey) to give Hardcore some cheap heat

*However, Big show was freaking hilarious talking about being a "fine tuned athlete" and the "innuendoes" and how Rey had to buy his own shirt...Big show really has great comedic timing, I could see him getting acting gigs as a character actor

*I can't wait to see how this Eddie/Chavo/Angle thing develops, I wonder if this will mean a heel turn for Angle? Eddie can't play a heel anymore, he is too damn entertaining as a tweener...him trying to start the Chavo chant was classic

*Whatever that double hip toss slam thing that Stamboli/Palumbo did to Benoit should be their finisher in tag matches, that move is nice piece of tag offense

*Am I the only person who thinks Shelton Benjamin has "it"? The more I watch him every week, the more I see him becoming a champ a few years down the road

*FANTASY BOOKING ALERT....Trade Goldberg/RVD to SD for O'Haire/Rhyno/UT (sets up Lesnar/Goldie, Kane/UT, gives RVD a fresh start, and you have a young tag team to add to RAW)

Originally posted by Tenken347Man, did you hear the crowd turn on Holly? As soon as he started doing heel shit against Big Show, the fans totally lost what little sympathy they had going for him.

But... but... it's WWE Attitude! There are no more babyfaces who preach prayers and vitamins! It's all shades of grey, Vinnie Mac said so!

*sarcasm off*

Okay, I didn't watch Smackdown last night, so I didn't get the pleasure of watching the crowd's mutiny. But to me, Hardcore Holly in his current incarnation just doesn't give off a babyface aura. He comes off as a generic barroom brawler type, and WWE already has several of those on Smackdown alone. So, other than the injury he sustained at the hands of Brock, why should I care about him, let alone the fans?

Since Holly returned from his injury and into this No.1 contender angle, has he only pinned one guy: Matt Morgan? No wonder the crowd turned against Holly. It also helps that Big Show, after interrupting Rey and smacking both guys around, won the non-title main event match because of DQ.

I again ask the Tajiri CW-reign question: If the match is gonna end in a DQ anyway, why not make the bout for the title?

Wouldn't it have made more sense to give Kurt Angle a 'He's Returning' video instead of Billy 'I've failed in my first dozen pushes, but once Bob Holly fails I'll get his push' Gunn? And, is it coincidence or poetic justice that the Rumble is in Philly? Can anyone else just see them reverting to their early 90's roots and just turning on the Holly/Lesnar match?Unless they are trying to do what they did with the Angle vignettes before he debuted, this Angle is such a sweet and loving family man who loves his country will get extremely sickening quickly.

If only Paul Jones had brought in General Skandar Akbar as a technical military advisor, Paul Jones' Army could have thwarted the McMahon infidels and prevented the collapse of wrestling civilization.

Hardcore Holly, if they don't do something quickly, is about to be this year's Scott Steiner. I don't want that to happen AGAIN. Maybe they should pull the plug on the angle now, by having Lesnar "re-injure the neck" of Holly, which could lead to Lesnar being bereft of challengers, until Goldberg's arrival. Let's face it, a Lesnar-Goldberg pull-apart to end the Smackdown before Royal Rumble would make for good TV. Depending on whether Benoit or Goldberg wins, you tell the story that necessitates Chris Benoit winning the title at No Way Out, but Goldberg-Lesnar being fought anyway, just out of a desire to decide who the better man is.

As for Holly, he can turn heel soon after the Rumble; he gets his little title match on an episode of Smackdown, and then gets pissed when he loses. He can then become Goldberg's Next Victim at No Way Out. He can also be a thorn in Goldberg's side going into Mania (you see, the mark of a good heel is aligning with a former hated blood enemy to promote your own ends.)

Hey, as much as I want Benoit to get his title reign, I've gotta say that Goldberg-Lesnar is as much a money match as Holly-Lesnar is not. Assuming that they can pull it off, Benoit-Angle-Guerrero is a suitable replacement.